Watching TV shows is one of the most popular leisure activities in the world. But even a good series can be ruined by an unsuccessful ending (hello, “Game of Thrones”), the behavior of actors on the set or ideas that seemed brilliant to the scriptwriters but turned out to be terrible.
Here are the top 7 ways that Hollywood can destroy any good show.
Note: Some series descriptions, given as an example, contain spoilers.
7. The dumber the funnier
You create a character who often behaves stupidly or looks unusual, and people laugh at him. Kindly or not - this is another question. But the main thing here is not to overdo it, and not to make an outright freak out of just a funny character that will start to scare away the audience.
Example - the famous sitfeld "Seinfeld" in which one of the main characters named Cosmo Kramer wore a funny hairstyle. And from season to season, she became funnier, or at least higher. And his behavior from an eccentric has become completely inexplicable.
Does this mean that the character has become funnier and more interesting for the audience? May be. Or perhaps not. But it is more likely that some lazy screenwriters mistakenly accepted one of the personality traits for the whole personality and exploited it “tail and mane”.
6. Sexual minorities in fashion, let's use it
Sexual orientation is an acute problem in Europe and the USA. So why not use this theme in the movies? To draw public attention to it, to show that representatives of sexual minorities are people like everyone else and deserve to be treated with respect. Sounds great? Then let's get started.
But what if a similar problem appears in a television show in which none of the characters treat others with respect?
Example - The American series Shameless, about the selfish alcoholic father, his many children and their neighbors, who constantly find themselves in the most incredible situations. Characters often commit immoral acts, which makes it difficult to treat them with sympathy, whether you are gay, lesbian or ordinary heterosexual.
5. Hooray, we have reached the goal! Now let's continue
Typically, the main characters of the series have a clear goal. For example, to punish the murderer of your family (partner, pet, etc.), make a seemingly impossible escape, find a magical artifact. But the affairs with ratings on TV are so successful that even after reaching the final point of travel of the main characters, the scriptwriters are not ready to part with them.
Example - the series "Escape". Its purpose lies in the name itself: the main character must get his brother, sentenced to death, out of prison. At the end of the first season he succeeds. But the series was so successful that the scriptwriters decided to first send the heroes on the run, and then return them to prison again. At some point, the audience began in droves to switch to something more interesting.
Another famous example is the series “The Mentalist,” in which the main character, Patrick Jane, helps the police investigate difficult cases to find the one who brutally murdered his wife and child. Every few episodes, he reminds the team that precisely the desire to find the killer, nicknamed Bloody John, is the only reason Patrick works as a police consultant.
In the end, the culprit is found. Well done. Then Jane takes a vacation and returns to work for 27 more episodes.
4. I am a woman, which means I am the most powerful and independent
Being a feminist in Hollywood films and TV shows means being morally and physically strong and cocky, as well as constantly reminding about it. And male characters, of course, can be strong, but at the same time they do not focus only on this (unless, of course, we have the Hulk in front of us).
Example - the series "Supergirl", which tells the story of Superman's cousin. In the end, she is a superwoman (sorry, girl). So why is every episode of the show reminiscent of how strong and independent she is?
3. Cancel the new season before the audience understands what is happening.
The series may have good ratings, but it may still be closed for some reason. For example, due to creative disagreements or a financial conflict between the studio and representatives of the state in which the shooting takes place.
Example - The series "Swamp critter" in 2019, based on the comic book publisher DC Comics. So many interesting storylines of the first season simply broke off “nowhere”, so many heroes remained unsolved, and the audience’s expectations for continuation simply waved a pen.
2. I am not a racist, I have a lot of Asian friends, Indians, etc.
The variety of characters in a TV show is good. But in most of them, Asiatic, Indian, or Middle Eastern characters are always shy, intelligent, and ridiculously respectful to people who in no way surpass them. And, most importantly, they usually don’t have a girlfriend.
Example - "The Big Bang Theory". Hindu Rajesh Koutrappali without the influence of alcohol or drugs, can not even talk to women for the whole 6 seasons. All his actions come down to silent mime when one of the fair sex appears in the room.
Here is a radical idea. Why not in one of the popular TV shows an Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern character who does not understand anything in the sciences, but has a great skill in communicating with people, a huge supply of charisma, and always gets a girlfriend?
1. I am the star of this show, and now I will destroy it
Perhaps this is the saddest way that Hollywood can destroy your favorite series. After all, you get used to the actors for several seasons, worry about their characters, and the last thing you want to know is that, due to the fault of the actor, the previously popular project was closed.
Example “Grace is on fire.” Brett Butler starred in the popular comedy series for five years before she was fired in 1998.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, she was asked to go out after repeated manifestations of irrational behavior due to drug use. Instead of continuing to work without it, ABC simply stopped filming Grace on Fire.
